Carpet-sweeper



' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. K. BRECKENRIDGE Carpet-Sweeper.

N0.'224,069. Patented Feb. 3, 1880..

WITNESSES;

' ATTORNEY ".FETERS, PNGTD-UTNOGRAFKER. WASHANG'YDIV. D. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

. the same.

ELIAsK. BRECKENRIDGE, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

ICARPETJ-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 224,069, dated February 3,. 1880.

1 1 Application filed November 14, 1 879.

To'all whom it. may concern Be it knownthat I, ELIAS K. BRECKEN- RIDGE, of Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto letters of} reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I I

This, invention relates to rotary. carpetsweepers and it consists in the construction and combination of the divers devices embodied therein, as hereinafter more :particularlygandfully set forth and claimed.

In. the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a rear perspective view of myimproved carpet-sweeper,tl1e rear lid of the hasing being raised. Fig. 2 represents a detail view of the sectional baiL: Fig. 3 represents a vertical section, longitudinal as to thehandle, through the box. Fig. 4 represents a detail view of one of the springbearings of the brush-cylinder and the disk for compressing Fig.5 represents a detail view of a recesseddisk adapted to he used as asubstitute for said bearing-spring and its compressing-disk. Fig. 6 represents a bottom view of the wheel which engages with the carpet when protruding through the bottomof the box.; p H I The same letters indicate corresponding parts in the differentpfigures.

In said drawings, A designates the casing or box of my carpet-sweeper, which box is of rectangular form and. isarranged transversely to the lineof the handle B. The upper part of this box is provided with two roof-like lids, which are hinged to a flat horizontal middle I portion of the top, and extend downward in opposite directions to the top and rear. These lids (marked a a) are fastened down by springcatches a of any convenient kind, but may be readily raised to allow the inspection of the interior of thebox. 1

The top and sides of said box and the lower part of each end are constructed preferably of i wood 5 but the upper part of each end consists of a metal plate or casting, G. This casting is bent or set inward at its rearward end in each case, so as to form angular recesses G in the upper rear corners of said box, which recesses allow the bail D to be journaled to said box without extending beyond the ends thereof. The front wall of each of said angular recesses is vertical, to form a support for the handle when it and the bail are turned up into a vertical position. Under such circumstances the ends of the bail, which are journaled in said recesses 0" near the angles thereof, will rest against .said vertical walls. Thus this recessed plate or casting not only greatly lessens the danger of said bail striking against furniture, butalso obviates the necessity of picking up the'handle from the floor after temporarily ceasingito use it, or of leaning it against some article or surface which might be soiled or injured thereby. I

The said bail D,as shown in Fig. 2, consists of two sections, each of which terminatesat its inner end in a semi-cylindrical section of a socket (which sections are marked d d) adapted to receive the handle B. When said handle is inclosed in the socket formed by said sections they are clamped together by means of a screw, D, which worksthrough said sectionsand through screw-tapped bi acing-lugs or small tubes extending respectively upward and downward from them. Other detachable clamping devices may be employed instead of said screw, This detachable method of attachin g said handle has the decided advantage of allowing it to be easily withdrawn when broken, and replaced bya new one; also, if one section of the bail happens tobreak the .other need. not be discarded, but a new one can take the place of the broken one with the original one which'remains unbroken.

The bottom A? of the exterior casing or box is preferably made of tin, for the sake of lightness and to avoid wear. It consists of a front section and a rear section, with a space between them for the operation of the sweeping-brush. The front section is curved, and opposite to it is arranged a curved plate, a which extends upward and rearward from the front edge of the rear section. This plate a prevents dust from accumulating on the flat rearsection of said bottom.

E designates the rotating brush-cylinder, which-is provided with a friction-wheel, 6, whereby it receives rotation from a larger friction-wheel, E, which extends down through a slot in bottom A so as to engage with the carpet. The peripheral part of this wheel is preferably of india-rubber, and the inner part of metal or hard wood. It may consist, as shown, simply of a detachable ring of rubber and a smaller wheel or disk, to which said rubber ring clings; but it is not confined to such construction. This wheel F is journaled within a thin casing or barrel of iron, (marked G,) which has the requisite openings at its front and bottom for the operation of said wheel F, as described. Said casin g G serves to protect, support, and guide said wheel F, and it is rigidly secured to the front and rear of the casin g A by means of short rear arm, g, and long front arm, 9, which is curved so as to pass under small friction wheel e on brush-cylinder E.

To allow the brush-cylinder E to be removed at will, or adjusted upward or downward for lighter or heavier sweeping, as desired, and to adjust the pressure on the large wheel, I journal the ends of said cylinder in curved bearings h (open on one side) of bent bearingsprings H, which are set into recesses in the ends of the box.

The shape of the springs maybe considerably varied; but that shown in the drawings is a convenient one. One end of each spring H is bent so as to enter a V-shaped recess, f, in a rotary lifting-disk, I, there being one disk for each spring. Each disk I receives rotation from an arm, J, which is attachedtodts gudgeon and moves over a graduated are on the outside of the ends of the case. According to the direction in which said arm and disk are turned the sprin gand bearing will be raised or lowered. The brush-cylinder necessarily participates in this movement, and therefore runs lighter or heavier, as desired. The shape of the recesses tprevents undue strain or-wear from coming upon the springs. I

One great advantage of the above-described construction is that it allows the brush-cylinder to be adjusted for light or heavy sweeping quickly and easily without opening the casin g or box.

To facilitate the removal of the brush-cylinder each disk I is provided with an arm, K,

which has an outwardly-extending nose or tip,

is, arranged to engage with said spring when the latter is lifted to its highest point, and to draw it backward, so that no obstacle is left, when in this position to the withdrawal of the journal therefrom.

Instead of said disk and springI sometimes employ a recessed disk, L, Fig, 5, operated by the same means, and itself forming a bearing for the journal. Its recess 1 is necessarily curved, and it has a tubular extension to prevent abrasion of the journal. When its recess 1 is in its uppermost position it coincides with a deep recess which extends upward to the top of the wooden part of the end. There is then.

no obstacle to lifting the journal therefrom.

The sides of easing G are provided at their bottom edges with laterally-extending flanges g 9 which set below the bottom A of easing A, and aid to clamp the said parts together.

Havingthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.In a carpetsweeper, the combination, with a handle and bail, of a brush box or casing recessed at its rear side, sothat the said bail will not'project beyond the ends of said box when journaled thereto.

2. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination,

with a handle and bail, of a brush box or casing having the upper parts of each end constructed of a metallic plate or casting rectangiilarly recessed, as set forth. 3. A bail-for carpet-sweepers, consisting of the two arms D, provided with the semi-cylindrical socket sections d d, adapted to be clamped on the end of the sweeper-handle, substantially as set forth.

4. In a carpet-sweeper, in combination with the box and operatii'ig-wheel, a casing distinct from said box, which casing incloses said wheel and forms bearings therefor.

5. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination, with the brush-cylinder and brush-box, of rotary externalarms and internal peripherally-' recessed disks which lift or lower said cylinder at will, substantially as set forth.

6. In combinatioriwi'tlialirush-cylinder, a-

bearing-spring and a rotating disk for lifting and lowering the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set in 3' hand October, 1879.

-ELIAS K. BRECKENRIDGE.

Witnesses: GEO. W. SMITH, J. P. PARKER.

too

this 29th'day of v I 

